Squamish Sailing Ventures

Sailed today with Ben and he is simply superb! We did a day sail/intro to sailing 8hr day, and as two complete rookie sailors, we felt comfortable from the get go with Ben's clear and calm instruction. I loved that he rolled out small bits of information constantly throughout the day, showing us new maneuvers whenever there was a good opportunity to practice. He tailored the day to our wants, gave us lots of options, and left most of the sailing to us & our one other fellow student! The day was a perfect mixture of chill cruising, and challenging bits of windy Squamish. 10/10 recommend sailing with Ben!

My wife and I had the pleasure of spending an amazing day developing our sailing skills with Squamish Sailing Ventures. Ben was a friendly, extremely knowledgeable, thorough and patient instructor. Highly recommend Squamish Sailing Ventures!

I just completed the bareboat skipper course with Ben. The whole thing was way above expectations. Instead of book knowledge, we spent time doing things. I really enjoyed the way we practiced everything: experimenting with sails, anchoring , docking, navigating, motoring in tight situations etc.. So much hands on stuff. We rarely took the easy option when there was a chance to try something different . In addition to Ben, there were 3 of us students. This seemed to be the ideal number, and we all got as much time as we wanted at the helm, and all of the other tasks. We all tried and did everything, usually with Ben observing from a distance, suggesting stuff and reminding us of things we had forgotten. Ben was helpful and always ready to answer questions and explain and suggest alternate ways. We all enjoyed having him as our teacher and guide. Living on board for a week with Ben and out group was a blast. I lucked out with my fellow students as everyone was enthusiastic and also wanted to try stuff and learn and share the load. The location is ideal. Howe Sound and the Georgia Straight have good winds and we were always able to sail. The tides and currents are big and again we lucked out with a full moon and got see and adapt to them. The islands in area are beautiful and provide many varied overnighting options. We were gifted by the weather gods and all days were warm or even hot. In addition to being a sailing course, this was also a vacation. We swam off the boat, on beaches and in isolated rocky inlets. We visited parks and harbors and bars and restaurants. Food onboard was good and varied and we took turns preparing or assisting with dinners. Lots of coffee and tea throughout the day. I got a kick out of Ben boiling water for tea on the gimballing stove as the boat rolled through the waves. This was an amazing experience and I will do it again.

I'm totally new to sailing and I'm so glad that my first day was with Ben of Squamish Sailing Ventures !! He is an experienced skilled instructor with a very clear and calm manner. So my learning experience was very fulfilling and joyful. Howe sound is such a beautiful place. Ben is very familiar with the area so took us to a little adventure to one of small islands while anchored. I really hope that everyone in the area who wants to develop their sailing skills starts in good hands and this is the go to place.

I signed up for the IYT International Bareboat Skipper course with the goal of becoming more confident exploring the west coast on my own boat. In the six days I spent with Ben from Squamish Sailing Ventures we covered everything I needed to feel comfortable heading out on my own. I particularly liked how Ben left most of the decision making to the three of us taking the course, providing guidance and helpful insights when we needed it. We based our sailing plan on where the wind would be and at the same time explored a different islands, bays, moorages and marinas. It felt more like an adventure than a course. Ben thanks for the good times and excellent cuppa.

Ben took us out on the water early July and what an amazing day! The wind was strong (as it consistently is in Squamish) and we had the boat speeding along! Some excellent sailing and then we stopped for lunch and a swim by the defence islands. It was glorious! The boat is perfect for anybody either wanting to get out on the water and have fun or really get stuck in and learn how to sail. This time we enjoyed a fun day out on the water as a staff day out, but we will be back again. We enjoyed our experience so much and know that we're in good hands, so we have decided to join Ben next summer to do the week long Skipper Course! Cant wait!

Had the most amazing experience on a two day introduction to sailing course!! Ben is absolutely fantastic. EXTREMELY knowledgeable, patient, kind and a ton of fun!!! He was able to tailor his training to a variety of levels. The confidence I left with after just two days blew my mind... excited to get back out on the water with him again after some additional practice on my own. Thanks Ben!!!

My husband, friend, and I had a great time taking a 5-day live-aboard lesson with Squamish Sailing Ventures in August 2021. Ben was accommodating of our training goals, dietary restrictions, and schedule. He managed to fit in some of our wish list items too (practicing some maritime radio, climbing the mast, etc.).